In media

Consider these statistics: Eighty-nine percent of black female movie characters use vulgar language on screen, versus a mere 17 percent of white female characters. Fifty-five percent of black female movie characters are shown being restrained--while only six percent of white female characters get the same treatment. Armed with stats like these, the authors of The Black Image in the White Mind: Media and Race in America are proving that movies, television, advertisements and even the news do indeed dictate our perception of race. Robert M. Entman, an N.C. State professor, and Andrew Rojecki, from the University of Illinois, have garnered high praise for their work from the likes of David Sears and Henry Louis Gates Jr. "All of us are shaped by popular culture," says Gates, "but few of us understand how, especially when it comes to our society's understanding of race relations." To get some insight into the ways your own mind might be molded by all those white-only car commercials, stop by Barnes and Noble on Nov. 16 at 7:30 p.m. to hear Entman read from the book. Call 489-3012 for details.